Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Ryan Geertsma.
Voice 2
And I'm Robin Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Lisa Garrity loves the trapeze. She enjoys moving through the air on this bar that hangs from two ropes. Riding the trapeze is hard work, but Lisa enjoys the exercise. However, Lisa noticed that she had to stop and rest more often than other people. Lisa always thought she was a healthy person. She was a runner. But Lisa was also a smoker. She smoked tobacco cigarettes. Lisa's smoking made it more difficult for her to breath. Smoking kept Lisa from being the healthy person she wanted to be. She wanted to stop smoking. Lisa tried many times to stop. Sometimes she stopped for a short time. But each time she would start again.
Voice 2
Many people try to stop smoking tobacco. But it is very difficult. Today's Spotlight is on different ways people can stop smoking.
Voice 1
It is difficult to stop smoking. This is because tobacco contains an addictive substance called nicotine. People can quickly begin to depend on Nicotine. And it makes them feel like they NEED to have it.
Voice 2
However, there are many good reasons to stop smoking. Smoking negatively affects a person's ability to breathe. Smoke enters a person's lungs and damages small hairs in the lungs called cilia. Cilia are supposed to keep the lungs clean and clear. But when a person smokes, the cilia do not work as well. So, a smoker's lungs are not as clean as a non-smoker's lungs. This can make it more difficult for smokers to breath. And people who smoke often develop an unhealthy cough. The smoker's lungs expel air this way to try and clean out the lungs.
Voice 1
Smokers also have a higher risk of getting more serious diseases. These diseases can lead to an early death. Smoking can cause cancer in the lungs and many other parts of the body. It can also cause emphysema and other diseases that restrict a person's breathing.
Voice 2
The risks of smoking are not limited to smokers. Cigarette smoke is harmful to the people around smokers too. It is especially harmful to children. When people smoke cigarettes around children, the children also have a greater risk of developing serious health problems. When pregnant women smoke, their babies are more likely to be small and unhealthy. The babies are also more likely to develop breathing problems.
Voice 1
Lisa Garrity knew the risks of smoking. This is why she tried so many times to stop. Then one day, a friend told her about a new BBC case study. This news organization wanted to study an unusual and shocking treatment to help people stop smoking.
Voice 2
Lisa decided this was a good chance to try to stop smoking again. She agreed to be part of the case study. First, Lisa met with a doctor. The doctor explained how the lungs work. Next, they discussed together how smoking affects a person's lungs.
Voice 1
Then Lisa began the unusual part of the treatment. She went to watch a lung cancer operation. The cancer patient was a woman in her 50s. The doctors removed a cancerous mass or tumour from her lungs. Lisa could see the terrible damage that cigarettes caused to the woman's lungs. Watching the operation helped Lisa understand what could happen to her if she continued smoking. It showed her the terrible effects smoking could have on her body. But that was not the end of the treatment.
Voice 2
Next, the doctors invited Lisa to look closely at the cancerous tumour. It was a hard mass. And it was about the size of an adult's closed hand. Then, the doctors cut the tumour open. The inside of the tumour was the same color as the burnt ashes from a cigarette. Lisa could not imagine trying to breathe with that tumour in her lungs!
Voice 1
Seeing the operation was not very effective for Lisa. But seeing the cancer in the tumour made the risks of smoking feel real. She wanted to cry. She struggled to stay calm. After that, she told the BBC,
Voice 3
"There was no way I could put a cigarette to my mouth. When I tried, I would see the cancer. I would imagine the same cancer in my lungs. It was hiding and growing like a balloon."
Voice 2
This shocking experience helped Lisa stop smoking. But learning more about the bad effects of smoking will not help everyone stop smoking. The good news is that there are many other ways to stop smoking.
Voice 1
Some people use Nicotine replacement treatments. These treatments replace cigarettes. There are many kinds of replacements. Smokers can eat nicotine replacements, stick them on their bodies or even breathe them into their lungs. These treatments still contain the drug nicotine. The smoker's body receives the nicotine, but not the other harmful substances in the cigarette smoke. Smokers can get used to a life without cigarettes. And over time, they can use less and less of the nicotine replacement - until they stop using nicotine.
Voice 2
Other people stop smoking by attending support groups. These groups of smokers meet to encourage and support each other. Some people also stop smoking just by counting how much money they save when they do not buy cigarettes. And some companies will even offer prizes to encourage their workers to stop smoking.
Voice 1
Different methods will work for different people. The website smokefree.gov says it does not matter which treatment a smoker chooses. But a smoker should always have a plan. They call their plan START. Each letter of this word represents a part of this plan.
S - Set a date when you will stop smoking. This will give you time to prepare to stop.
T - Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to stop smoking. If the people around you know, they can support you.
A - Anticipate or expect the difficult problems you will face while stopping smoking. For example, a person will experience temporary effects when he stops smoking. His body will react to the lack of nicotine. He may experience anger, trouble sleeping, increased desire to eat, or depression. Smokers must be ready for these possible effects and have a plan.
R - Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work. If you do not have cigarettes around you, it will be easier to stop smoking them.
T - Talk to your doctor. He or she may have good suggestions.
Voice 2
Stopping smoking may be difficult. But there are many methods and treatments to try. If you want to stop smoking do not stop trying! You will be a happier, healthier person!
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